Coronavirus: Trump's press note photo shows 'corona' scratched out and replaced with 'Chinese'
President Donald Trump has no regrets whatsoever over calling the coronavirus "Chinese" despite a strong backlash. A photograph of Trump's notes from March 19's coronavirus briefing shows the word "corona" in coronavirus crossed out and replaced with the word "Chinese". It reiterated the fact that the Republican is barely bothered by the 'racist' label given to him by critics for identifying 'coronavirus' with a geographical location.
Trump has done the same a number of times over the recent past — be it through tweet or press briefing. He strongly believes that China is responsible for the original spread of the deadly virus that has claimed more than 10,000 lives around the world and affecting over 244,286. In the US, at least 205 people have died so far while at least 14,200 have been diagnosed with the virus.
China has strongly objected to Trump's allegations and warned Washington. Beijing recently counter alleged that it was the US Army that had brought the virus during the Military World Games in Wuhan last October. The war of words over coronavirus has escalated between the two big powers who do not share the best of terms. The deadly virus has killed at least 3,248 people in China, the second-highest tally after Italy (3,405). A total of 80,967 people have been affected in China.
The photograph of Trump's notes where "corona" in coronavirus was replaced with "Chinese" was revealed by Washington Post photographer Jabin Botsford who tweeted it. "Close up of President @realdonaldtrump notes is seen where he crossed out "Corona" and replaced it with "Chinese" Virus as he speaks with his coronavirus task force today at the White House," he wrote.
US fighting Chinese virus relentlessly, says Trump
In his press briefing at the White House, Trump said the US was continuing its "relentless effort to defeat the Chinese virus".
"Certainly the world is paying a big price for what they did, and the world is playing a very big price for not letting them come out. Everybody knows that, we all know that," Trump said, taking a strong dig at China which has been accused of not sharing enough information on the disease in the early stage.
On March 19, China said for the first time that no new coronavirus case was reported from the previous day but the world is still not convinced, given China's closed system.
"As far as believing what they are putting out now, I hope it's true. Who knows? But I hope it's true, I really do," Trump said in his reaction to the news.
Trump has been defending his calling coronavirus "Chinese virus" over the past few days. He explained that he is not racist and that he used "Chinese" only because the virus originated in China's Wuhan province. "It's not racist at all. It comes from China, that's why. It comes from China. I want to be accurate," he said at a press meet.
China has also expelled journalists from three major US news outlets in protest to the Trump administration calling five Chinese state media houses as "foreign missions" in February.